When a ski boot is fixed, in the conventional manner, both at the boot toe and at the boot heel by (releasable) binding parts which are arranged directly on the top side of the ski, then the binding part at the heel can usually move in the longitudinal direction of the ski counter to a so-called thrust springing mechanism. This is intended, on the one hand, to ensure that the binding parts bear on the boot in a play-free manner. On the other hand, it is intended to avoid the ski boot sole, non-compliant to the greatest extent, being able to cause excessive rigidity in the central zone of the ski when running over bumps and the like.
Nevertheless, it is unavoidable that the bending characteristic of the ski is changed. Furthermore, the release characteristic of the binding parts when the ski is bent in one direction or another is also inevitably changed.
In order to eliminate these difficulties, DE-C 21 34 810 has already made provision for the ski to be equipped with carrying plates of the type specified in the introduction in order to secure the ski boot, the connection between ski and carrying plate being configured such that the carrying plate can pivot, about a transverse axis, relative to the ski counter to a low degree of resistance. Although, in this known arrangement, the bending capacity of the ski remains unchanged to the greatest extent, the control of the ski is rendered more difficult.
The same also applies for the carrying plates which are disclosed in European Patent No. 02 03 989 and DE-U 87 05 563 and are connected to the ski at their front and rear ends by means of lever linkages, arranged in the form of a parallelogram, and are supported on the ski in their central region by a spring or damping arrangement.
Disclosed in CH-A 674 155 and DE-A 41 12 299 are carrying plates which are supported on the ski fixedly in their central region and, by their front and rear regions, via compliant damping material. In this case too, ski control has proved to be impaired.
Disclosed in the documents WO 83/03 360, WO 91/10 485, DE-A 40 41 046, DE-A 41 00 327 and EP-A 04 98 053 are various ski-binding carriers which essentially comprise a relatively flexible plate which, at its front and rear ends, may be connected to the ski fixedly or displaceably in the longitudinal direction of the ski and, between its ends, is supported on the ski by a layer which is arranged between plate and ski and consists of damping material, or by strip elements consisting of damping material.
Such arrangements can indeed damp vibrations of the ski and, in this respect, contribute to stabilization of the ski at high speeds. However, once again competitive skiers complain of impairment to the controllability of the ski during maneuvers at high speed.
EP-A 01 83 586 discloses a carrying plate which serves to secure a pair of ski boots and with which a so-called monoski can be equipped. Said carrying plate is connected fixedly to the ski, beneath the toes and heels of the boots, via feet arranged thereon, it being possible to change the rigidity of the ski further, if required, by a leaf-spring part which can be fitted between the top side of the ski and the carrying plate. An elastomeric material may be arranged between the feet of the carrying plate and the top side of the ski in order to damp vibrations. Here too, the running properties of the ski are not satisfactory.
EP-A 04 90 043, finally, discloses a ski which is rigidified in the region of the ski boot by a carrying-plate part which secures the binding parts, is fixedly connected to the ski and secures additional spring lamellae, by means of which the compliance of the front and rear ski ends can be changed. Moreover, it is intended that vibrations of the ski should also be damped thereby. Here too, running properties of the ski which are appropriate for competitive sport cannot be achieved.